Kenyans are excited about the launching of a new handset agnostic voice SMS service in the country. The new service will be part of the Yu brand of Essar Telecom Kenya Limited in partnership with MVAS developer Kirusa.

The new voice service will be available to all Yu subscribers and according to an Essar press statement published on Wednesday, it will give them the ability to send and reply to messages via voice.

“It enables the subscribers to communicate faster, with greater ease, and convey emotions as compared to limitations imposed by text messages,” the statement read.

“Use of Voice SMS by mobile subscribers is gaining global traction for its benefits in enabling people to communicate on the go,” it added.

The company says that the cost will be 1 KES per message.

Analysts say that the new service will offer businesspeople the ability to quickly respond to requests from clients and investors as well as give those unable to type the ability to keep in touch with colleagues and friends.

“We are excited to be presenting our subscribers with this innovative means of communication,” said Yu Country Manager Madhur Taneja. “This service will be very handy for certain people with disabilities who might find it difficult to type on phones. The solution comes with proven success as well as a platform that supports several additional Value Added Services.”